I'm not sure on the exact rules, but there is a narrow Buyout Window which (according to Capgeek) is June 2013. If Booth can't pass a physical by then (which is likely), he cannot be bought out.

As has been pointed out, Booth did not play like shite under AV, he just had an average year and not a career year. Keep in mind he came in in 2011 after the entire team was coming off career years (Daniel, Kesler, Burrows, Raymond, Sammuelson etc.), so expectations were unduly high.

Also, someone said he had zero chemistry with Kesler. For almost the entire time Booth played with Kesler, Kesler had the busted-up shoulder and wrist and was not as effective as he can be. This year Booth was gone by the time Kesler came back.

So I think Booth should be kept so that he can play healthy with a healthy Kesler. Booth has zero trade value right now and likely won't be healthy enough for this year's buy-out window. If he struggles next year, he can be bought out but I expect the cap will go up in 2014 after the huge Olympic boost + Stadium Series. By 2014 I doubt a 40-point player will be available as a UFA at that cap hit.

If Booth can be bought out, it will likely come down to keeping Booth or re-signing Roy. Personally I'd go with Booth.

Kassian has grown up playing the North American game on North American Ice surfaces. Brunner had spent his whole career in Europe playing on a bigger ice surface with different rules.

Edit - If Kassian was 5 years older and had played his entire career over seas and started this season on the top line, you think he would have been treated any differently?

Brunner has been playing with men for years in the Swiss A-League.

Brunner is more mature and probably has a better ability to adapt.

No I don't think Kassian would have been treated differently if he was 5 years older and he shouldn't be. He showed that when the veteran NHLers got up to game speed he couldn't keep up. If he is the same in 5 years I doubt he's even on the team!

Brunner also played before the lockout ended with Zetterberg, which most definitely helped him transition better to the NHL game. I just don't think the comparison is fair, there's good reason Brunner was given time to play top 6 minutes and Kassian wasn't.

Much of it has to do with their difference in age and experience.

Brunner probably has 20% more hockey experience in his life than Kassian. Zack will be fine but he's young and immature, which is why he was handled vastly different.